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Bruce expresses sympathy with Hull owner and fans following relegation

Steve Bruce feels he let down Hull City owner Assem Allam and the club's fans by failing to secure Premier League survival.

Published

24 May 2015

Steve Bruce feels he has let down Hull City owner Assem Allam after overseeing the club's relegation from the Premier League.

Hull began the final day of the season in the bottom three and were unable to conjur a dramatic late escape.

Newcastle United's 2-0 victory over West Ham rendered events at the KC Stadium inconsequential, as Hull were held to a 0-0 draw by a Manchester United side that finished with 10 men following Marouane Fellaini's late dismissal.

Manager Bruce agreed a new deal in March, but sought to deflect questions on his own future in the wake of Hull's demotion.

"I've had a terrific relationship with the owner, who in that respect I'm desperately disappointed for because at this particular moment I've let him down," said Bruce.

"A contract, we all know, means nothing really in football. He [Allam] was trying to pick me up, probably, at the time to offer me it, if we're being truthful. But for that I'm always going to be grateful.

"I don't think it's the time now to talk about myself. At the end of the day I've not been good enough, so I'll reflect on that and have a conversation with the powers-that-be, which is always going to be inevitable when the fall-out begins of relegation.

"It's an awful, awful time and a lot of decisions have to be made. At this particular moment, of course I hope I'm given the opportunity. If that's the case, we'll have a conversation.

"We've just been relegated, we're raw, hurt to the bone and disappointed. I think we all need a break from each other, get away for the next couple of weeks and let's analyse the whole situation and see where the owner wants to take the club in the next direction."

Bruce, who led Hull to promotion two seasons ago and the FA Cup final last term, expressed gratitude to the fans at the KC Stadium.

"They're giving a standing ovation to the players and at the end of the day we've failed them and let them down.

"They're quite a unique bunch of supporters, who've probably never had much to shout about, but the one thing they're quite entitled to do is see their team play in the Premier League. And after being in the city for three years, I know how much it means to a lot of them.

"A lot of them find it very difficult to fork out the money to get here and the big highlight of their week is to come and see Premier League football. For that, I'm hugely disappointed."